A number of alternate universes in DC Comics publications allow writers to introduce variations on the Joker, in which the character's origins, behavior, and morality differ from the mainstream setting. Renowned as Batman's greatest enemy, [99] [] [] [] the Joker is known by a number of nicknames, including the Clown Prince of Crime, the Jester of Genocide, [] the Harlequin of Hate, and the Ace of Knaves. The original, dominant image is that of an extreme psychopath , [] with genius-level intelligence and a warped, sadistic sense of humor.
This appearance is such a fundamental aspect of the character that when the animated series The Batman placed the Joker in a straitjacket, it quickly redesigned him in his familiar suit. The Joker is obsessed with Batman, the pair representing a yin-yang of opposing dark and light force; although it is the Joker who represents humor and color and Batman who dwells in the dark. Spectacle is more important than success for the Joker, and if it is not spectacular it is boring. Despite this body count, he is always found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to Arkham Asylum, avoiding the death penalty.
The villain displays no instinct for self-preservation, and is willing to die to prove his point.
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The Joker's main characteristic is his apparent insanity, although he is not described as having any particular psychological disorder. Like a psychopath, he lacks empathy, a conscience, and concern over right and wrong. In A Serious House on Serious Earth , the Joker is described as capable of processing outside sensory information only by adapting to it. This enables him to create a new personality every day depending on what would benefit him and explains why, at different times, he is a mischievous clown or a psychopathic killer.
The Killing Joke in which the Joker is the unreliable narrator explains the roots of his insanity as "one bad day": He tries and fails to prove that anyone can become like him after one bad day by torturing Commissioner Gordon, physically and psychologically. Englehart's "The Laughing Fish" demonstrates the character's illogical nature: The Joker is alternatively depicted as sexual and asexual.
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A Serious House on Serious Earth , the Joker is seductive toward Batman; it is uncertain if their relationship has homoerotic undertones or if the Joker is simply trying to manipulate his nemesis. Frank Miller interpreted the character as fixated on death and uninterested in sexual relationships, while Robinson believes that the Joker is capable of a romantic relationship. Harley loves him but the Joker does not reciprocate her feelings, chiding her for distracting him from other plans.
Snyder's "Death of the Family" describes the Joker as in love with Batman, although not in a traditionally romantic way. The Joker believes that Batman has not killed him because he makes Batman better, and he loves the villain for that. The Joker is often depicted as defining his existence through his conflict with Batman. In 's "Going Sane", the villain tries to lead a normal life after Batman's apparent death, only to become his old self again when Batman reappears; in "Emperor Joker", an apparently omnipotent Joker cannot destroy Batman without undoing himself.
Since the Joker is simply "the Joker", he believes that Batman is "Batman" with or without the costume and has no interest in what is behind Batman's mask, ignoring opportunities to learn Batman's secret identity. The Joker is portrayed as having no fear; when fellow supervillain Scarecrow doses him with fear toxin in Knightfall , the Joker merely laughs and says, "Boo!
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At these moments, the Joker is depicted as expressing remorse for his acts; [] [] however, during a medically induced period of partial sanity in Batman: Cacophony he tells his opponent: I'm crazy 'cause I hate you," and confirms that he will only stop murdering when Batman is dead. The Joker has no inherent superhuman abilities.
The flower in his lapel sprays acid, and his hand often holds a lethal joy buzzer conducting a million volts of electricity, although both items were introduced in as harmless joke items. Joker venom , a liquid or gaseous toxin which sends its targets into fits of uncontrollable laughter; higher doses can lead to paralysis, coma or death, leaving its victim with a ghoulish, pained rictus grin. The Joker has used venom since his debut; only he knows the formula, and is shown to be gifted enough to manufacture the toxin from ordinary household chemicals.
Another version of the venom used in "Joker's Last Laugh" makes its victims resemble the Joker, susceptible to his orders. The character's arsenal is inspired by his nemesis' weaponry, such as batarangs. In "The Joker's Utility Belt" , he mimicked Batman's utility belt with non-lethal items, such as Mexican jumping beans and sneezing powder.
His technical genius is not limited by practicality, allowing him to hijack Gotham's television airwaves to issue threats, transform buildings into death traps, launch a gas attack on the city and rain poisoned glass shards on its citizens from an airship. The Joker is portrayed as skilled in melee combat, from his initial appearances when he defeats Batman in a sword fight nearly killing him , and others when he overwhelms Batman but declines to kill him.
The Joker's unpredictable, homicidal nature makes him one of the most feared supervillains in the DC Universe; the Trickster says in the mini-series Underworld Unleashed , "When super-villains want to scare each other, they tell Joker stories". He has collaborated with criminals like the Penguin , the Riddler and Two-Face , although these partnerships rarely end well due to the Joker's desire for unbridled chaos, and uses his stature to lead others such as Killer Croc and the Scarecrow.
Although they have a friendly partnership in 's World's Finest Comics 88, later unions emphasized their mutual hostility and clashing egos. Despite his tendency to kill subordinates on a whim, the Joker has no difficulty attracting henchmen with a seemingly infinite cash supply and intimidation: Although Quinn loves the Joker, he is obsessed with Batman and uses her to achieve his goals at her expense.
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Despite violent abuse, she returns to him. Although his chief obsession is Batman, the character has occasionally ventured outside Gotham City to fight Batman's superhero allies. The story is notable for the Joker taking on a relative god and the ease with which Superman defeats him—it took only 17 pages. Asked why he came to Metropolis, the Joker replies simply: Wonder Woman , who drew on the Greek god of trickery to temper the Joker's humor and shatter his confidence.
The Joker is considered one of, if not the most-recognizable and iconic fictional characters in popular culture Batman's arguable equal , [] [] [] one of the best comic villains, and one of the greatest villains of all time. These debates weigh the positive stopping the Joker permanently against its effect on Batman's character and the possibility that he might begin killing all criminals. The Joker's popularity and his role as Batman's enemy has involved the character in most Batman -related media, from television to video games. A Serious Study of the Clown Prince of Crime" became the first academic book to be published about a supervillain.
Since the Bronze Age of Comics, the Joker has been interpreted as an archetypal trickster , displaying talents for cunning intelligence, social engineering, pranks, theatricality, and idiomatic humor. Like the trickster, the Joker alternates between malicious violence and clever, harmless whimsy. The trickster is simultaneously subhuman and superhuman, a being that indicates a lack of unity in body and mind.
A Serious House on Serious Earth , the Joker serves as Batman's trickster guide through the hero's own psyche, testing him in various ways before ultimately offering to cede his rule of the Asylum to Batman. Rather than the typical anarchist interpretation, others have analysed the character as a Marxist opposite to Batman's capitalist , arguing that anarchism requires the rejection of all authority in favor of uncontrolled freedom.
Ryan Litsey described the Joker as an example of a " Nietzschean Superman ", arguing that a fundamental aspect of Friedrich Nietzsche 's Superman , the "will to power", is exemplified in all of the Joker's actions, providing a master morality to Batman's slave morality. The Joker's controlling and abusive relationship with Harley Quinn has been analysed as a means of the Joker reinforcing his own belief in his power in a world where he may be killed or neutralized by another villain or Batman. However, while Harley recovers, the Joker sends her flowers which she accepts, reasserting his control over her.
Harley's co-creator, Paul Dini, describes their relationship as Harley being someone who makes the Joker feel better about himself, and who can do the work that he does not want to do himself. Harley Quinn , the Joker decides to kill Harley, after admitting that he does care for her, that their relationship is romantic, and that these feelings prevent him from fulfilling his purpose. Thrillkiller storyline where the Joker Bianca Steeplechase is a female and involved in a lesbian relationship with Harley, their relationship lacks any aspects of violence or subjugation.
The Joker has appeared in a variety of media, including television series, animated and live-action films. WorldCat a catalog of libraries in countries records over productions featuring the Joker as a subject, including films, books, and video games, [] and Batman films featuring the character are typically the most successful. Galactic Guardians , voiced by Frank Welker. The role was a defining performance in Nicholson's career and was considered to overshadow Batman's, with film critic Roger Ebert saying that the audience must sometimes remind themselves not to root for the Joker.
Voiced by Mark Hamill , the Joker retained the darker tone of the comics in stories acceptable for young children. Mask of the Phantasm and 's Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker , video games 's Batman: Vengeance , related series 's Superman: The Animated Series , 's Static Shock and 's Justice League , action figures, toys and amusement-park voiceovers. After Christopher Nolan 's successful Batman film reboot, Batman Begins , which ended with a teaser for the Joker 's involvement in a sequel, the character appeared in 's The Dark Knight , played by Heath Ledger as an avatar of anarchy and chaos.
The Joker has also been featured in video games. Hamill returned to voice the character in 's critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum , its equally praised sequel Batman: Arkham Origins , and the Arkham series' animated spin-off Batman: Assault on Arkham , [] [] [] [] while Hamill returned for the series finale, Batman: DC Universe , [] 's Injustice: Gods Among Us , [] and 's Injustice 2.
The Videogame , Lego Batman 2: Beyond Gotham the latter three voiced by Christopher Corey Smith. The Telltale Series [] and Batman: The Enemy Within From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For other characters or uses of The Joker, see Joker disambiguation. Injustice Gang Injustice League. Veidt's grinning visage inspired the Joker design. That doesn't seem to matter—just how he is now. I never intended to give a reason for his appearance. We discussed that and Bill [Finger] and I never wanted to change it at that time.
I thought—and he agreed—that it takes away some of the essential mystery. Alternative versions of Joker. List of Batman Family adversaries. Joker in other media. Mark Hamill voiced the Joker in animation and video games for two decades, and Heath Ledger won a posthumous Academy Award for his interpretation of the character in 's The Dark Knight.
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All clues lead through the veil of Faerieland to the legendary Goblin's Market, a magical bazaar where anything is available - for a price. Murders are happening outside Charlotte's hottest nightspots. A new vampire society has set up shop in the sewers. And Jimmy Black's about to run afoul of the Master of the City.
If Jimmy weren't already a vampire, the week ahead would be the death of him. Jimmy Black's knack for stumbling into the right place at the wrong time has landed him his dream job or worst nightmare - Master Vampire of the City. Almost everyone that works for him wants him dead. His best friend isn't speaking to him.
His girlfriend is now his ex-girlfriend. And the Vampire Council has appointed a watchdog who'll decide if he lives past Thursday. He has a kidnapping to solve, monsters and demons to fight, and a whole new crime empire to figure out. Black Knight Chronicles 9 books in series. John Hartness Narrated by: Add to basket failed. Please try again later. Add to wishlist failed.